If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Thread Injector Help.

Hey Guys ,I just got done modding my ENO DN. I put some grosgrain channels with some shock cord in it, so I can tighten up my floppy sides. The issue is on the back side of the stitching. The stitches are not loose but they look erratic. I have messed with the tension on my machine with no success. I'm starting to question my needle size or the power of the machine? I'm a newbie with the thread injector. So any help is appreciated!IMG_0687.jpg

"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence."-Robert Frost

Tighten your upper tension. Don't mess with the bobbin, unless you already did, in which case you will probably have to unmess with it. They look too long as well. Shorten them up a bit.

I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

If that pic shows the back of the stitch, then your upper or main thread tension is too loose. Is it possible you didn't get the machine threaded correctly, or maybe the thread isn't in the tension disks correctly?

You could try flipping the bobbin over in the case, it might be in backwards. It does look like incorrect tensions though. If you don't have a bobbin tension gauge don't mess with it. If upper tension changes and flipping bobbin over don't fix it, find a technician with a bobbin tension gauge.

Double check to make sure that the bobbin is inserted properly and that the bobbin thread is being fed out of the bobbin properly - not filling the bobbin correctly can throw the tension off in it.

Then check to make sure that you're threading the machine properly including making sure that you have the needle in the machine correctly.

One of the easiest way to find if you need to adjust the tension is to thread the machine with two different colour threads - one top and one bottom. Use two pieces of light coloured scrap or at least not the same colours as the thread. Set the thread length on 8 to 10 stitches per inch and run a straight line of stitching. The two threads should meet in the middle between the two layers of fabric.

Once you have the tension set on your machine you should rarely have to move it.

You could try flipping the bobbin over in the case, it might be in backwards. It does look like incorrect tensions though. If you don't have a bobbin tension gauge don't mess with it. If upper tension changes and flipping bobbin over don't fix it, find a technician with a bobbin tension gauge.

Most machines have bobbin tension adjustment in the bobbin case, usually a small screw.

I have never adjusted the bobbin tension. I'm not sure my machine has one. All I've done with the bobbin is load it with thread. I'll go over your suggestions of checking that the bobbin is loaded correctly. I have had the top tension dial as high as 8 and down to 4. I was under the assumption that would only affect the top threads, which are turning out nice. It's just the bottom. Again I'm learning by trial and error here. This is my wife machine that she dosen't know how to use either. So all I have is poorly worded instructions.

"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence."-Robert Frost

I have never adjusted the bobbin tension. I'm not sure my machine has one. All I've done with the bobbin is load it with thread. I'll go over your suggestions of checking that the bobbin is loaded correctly. I have had the top tension dial as high as 8 and down to 4. I was under the assumption that would only affect the top threads, which are turning out nice. It's just the bottom. Again I'm learning by trial and error here. This is my wife machine that she dosen't know how to use either. So all I have is poorly worded instructions.

The two threads together form the combination that does a perfect stitch so by adjusting one you throw off the combination.

Good that you didn't even know that there was an adjustment on the bobbin.. Means you didn't mess with it!

If you wound the thread on the bobbin yourself, it could be something as elementary as not having the threading right when the bobbin was wound. It sounds strange but the thread being improperly wound on the bobbin will mess up the tension when you're sewing.

If all else fails, you'll need to find a service tech who can adjust the tension for you and then show you how to wind the bobbin and thread the machine properly.

I just took another close look at the pic - there doesn't look to be any tension whatsoever on the bottom thread (the one that is shown clearly in the pic) and the top thread loops are showing through.

The only time I've seen something like that was when the bobbin either wasn't wound properly or there was no tension on the bobbin thread. Without knowing what machine you're using it's hard to describe but the bobbin thread should come out of the bobbin case and then be put through a very small 'catch' that applies tension to the bottom thread. When you pull it up through the hole beside the pressure foot, there should be 'some' (not extremely strong) tension on it - it should not just be free flowing - it's really hard to describe, sorry!

Last edited by The Old Boot; 11-15-2012 at 19:14.
Reason: additional stuff

looking at your picture it's not the upper thread making the mess so the chance of it being upper tension goes down. Your bobbin may not be loaded correctly or your bobbin tension may be off. does your bobbin go in a case or is it a drop in bobbin? Loops like that can also be a scratch on your hook. I don't recommend attempting to adjust bobbin tension without the proper tools (like a towa tension gauge).